Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna
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Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is one of the early Christian churches of Ravenna. Like others, it is best known for the skillful ancient mosaics. Connaisseurs of ancient art will be guilty if they will not see the masterpieces located in the heart of the city.
History of the Basilica
The church was built by order of the King of the Ostrogoths, Theodoric the Great in 505. It was erected next to the palace of the ruler and was intended for the use of members of his court. Originally the temple was called Domini Nostri Jesu Christi. After the conquest of the Goth by the Byzantine Empire, its ruler Justinian transferred all religious buildings to the administration of the Catholic Church in 540. Soon, restoration works began, during which mosaics that were considered heretical among Catholics were replaced.
In 725, the church was destroyed by an earthquake. In the 9th century, the remains of Apollinaris of Ravenna, the city’s first bishop, were transferred from the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe to the temple. Then the construction received the current name – Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo. In 1748, the relics of the saint were returned to their former place, since the threat of destroying the shrine by foes passed. On February 12, 1916, the church survived the bombing, which was extremely disapproved by the world community. After the war, restoration work was carried out.
Architecture
The building is quite typical for the churches of Ravenna from the early Christian period. It has a structure with 3 naves and a narthex. The exterior of the building is faced with fired brick, there are small windows on the façade. On the first floor, a series of porticoes with marble columns leads to the entrance. On the right there is a bell tower with a round base. The central nave of the church is 2 times wider than the side, separated by rows of 12 marble columns.
Mosaics of the Basilica
The main highlights of the basilica are its mosaics. Most of them were created at the beginning of the 6th century, others – later. The central nave has 3 groups of mosaics that are divided and have different themes.
- The images of the top part illustrate various scenes from the life of Christ. This group consists of 26 different stories.
- The middle part of mosaics is placed in the squares between the windows. 32 images of saints and prophets are here, 16 on each side. They are designed to show the role of these people in the history of Christianity and in the scripture.
- The bottom part of mosaics is the largest. The procession of the 22 saints, headed by Saint Euthymius is depicted on one side. On the opposite side, 26 Christian martyrs in white clothes are depicted in the same procession. They are all heading to the Christ seated on the throne.
In addition to mosaics on religious themes, the church is also decorated with others. Among them there are images of the Palace of Theoderic and the ancient Roman military port of Classe.
How to get there
Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is located in the historical center of Ravenna, on Via di Roma, 53. Not far from it there is the City Art Museum. The center also houses other religious buildings, which are included in the price of a general ticket:
- Archiepiscopal Museum,
- Baptistery of Neon,
- San Vitale Basilica,
- Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
The nearest stop is V. Di Roma St Apollinare Nuovo, buses № 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 18, 70, 80, 154, 155 go to it.
Opening hours: from March to October from 9:00 to 19:00, from November to February from 10:00 to 17:00. The ticket office closes at 18:30. Phone number (+39) 0544 541688.
Admission: ticket price is 9.5 euros, with a discount – 8.5 euros. The disocount is valid for students, groups of 20 people. For children under 10 and people with disabilities – admission is free. Information about the cost and opening hours may vary.
